


not here with me

by hardnoxlife



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, holiday fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-17 21:14:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13085505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hardnoxlife/pseuds/hardnoxlife
Summary: 1988 holiday fluff





	not here with me

**Author's Note:**

> title creds - blue christmas by elvis presley
> 
> unbeta'd

Patrick’s shoes chimed as he walked through the crowded mall, the bells ringing with each determined step he took towards Costume World. 

 

Patrick loves everything about his job, the kids, the smiles, the feeling when he gets the perfect picture. He loves that its seasonal too, always getting to re-decorate and dress up in costumes that relate to the current holiday. 

 

Which is why he’s currently walking across the mall covered in a small child’s throw up. 

 

He couldn’t help trying to cheer up the little girl that wasn’t feeling good, Patrick thought it was just nerves so he pushed closer, brought her more toys, but as it turns out, she was actually just sick. 

 

Jonny, the Costume Concierge (no it’s not a joke, it’s actually what his name tag says), visibly lit up as he saw Patrick sulk into the store. 

 

“Has Santa’s favourite elf been naughty?” Jonny chimed as he caught sight of Patrick’s costume. Patrick promptly gave him the finger and headed towards the Christmas section of the shop.

 

Nearly ripping the medium-sized elf shirt off the hanger gave him some sort of satisfaction as he headed back to where Jonny was sat behind the counter, The Hockey News splayed open in front of him. 

 

“Busy day?” Patrick asked as Jonny rang in the shirt and bagged it for him. 

 

“I put all the ugly Christmas sweaters at the front of the store so people would stop asking me where they were, it’s been smooth sailing since.” Jonny explained, accepting the bills from Patrick and handing him back his change. “Did Rudolph not like his meal or something?”

 

“Something like that,” Patrick supplied, eyeing up the full Santa suit displayed beside the counter. “Is this thing for real?”

 

“It comes with an inflatable stomach and the beard adhesives to your face so you don’t have to fuss with it. I mean for the low cost of $399 it could be all yours.” Jonny deadpanned, eyeing the contraption with an air of contempt. 

 

“Wow, please don’t use all your persuasive sales techniques on me.” Patrick replied, clutching his wallet to his thigh to keep it away from the unenthusiastic clerk. 

 

“What? So you’ll go full-on elf but no love for the big man?” Jonny exclaimed, looking shell-shocked at the confession. 

 

“I have this recurring fantasy where my dream man comes walking in as Santa and asks me to sit on his lap, I can’t go spoiling that by dressing up as him myself.” Jonny balked at Patrick’s confession, coughing on his own spit. 

 

“You need help!” Jonny yelled as Patrick exited the store, bag in hand. He had an important meeting with the Miller’s in 15 minutes and needed to change before he greeted them. 

 

-

 

Patrick finished up with the last family of the day, focusing his attention on Sharpy’s laptop where he had Photoshop pulled up and was editing some of their takes from the day.

 

“You need to add more contrast to that one,” Patrick chirped as Sharpy blurred the tears off Justin Miller’s face. 

 

“You wouldn’t know what contrast was if it hit you in the face,” Sharpy mumbled, taking a sip of his Redbull as he prepared for the next couple hours of editing. 

 

A throat cleared from across the PhotoHut, and Patrick geared up to explain that they were closed for the day when he caught sight of who was standing before him. Jonny, decked out in the high-tech Santa garb. 

 

“Want to sit on my lap?”

 

Sharpy spit his Redbull all over his computer. 

 

“Aren’t you going to ask me the question, Santa?” Patrick quizzed Jonny, slinking his way towards him with a huge grin on his face. 

 

“What do you want for Christmas?” Jonny asked with an over-exaggerated eye roll.

 

“A date with you would be nice,” Patrick replied, moving close enough to wrap his arms around Jonny’s neck in a loose hug, the inflatable belly coming between them. 

 

“I quit,” Sharpy stated from behind them, but neither paid attention to him as they grinned at each other like loons, Jonny leaning down to press a light kiss to Patrick’s lips. 


End file.
